Everyone was staring at the same spot — where Sunny had just been standing seconds ago. Effie tried her best to hold back laughing while Neph frowned a little. Kai and Cassie were left bewildered.
Sunny had realized that what he had done was not like him at all. After realizing that he was about to get bombarded with Effie's antics, he concluded that the only option left to save himself... was just Shadow Stepping out of there.
Silence enveloped the room, everyone trying to digest what had happened. None of them had seen Sunny show his emotional and vulnerable side before.
'I guess he really did change in the last 2 years… I'm glad.'
Neph was the one most shocked by his expressions. She knew Sunny the most — how he always tried to hide his emotions and act as if he didn't care about anything.
"Well, now that Doofus is gone, I guess we can continue talking elsewhere," Effie said casually.
Of course, Effie knew damn well that they were probably being heard by unwanted elements. Morgan had seemingly disappeared after realizing that the negotiations needed to be changed — possibly even postponed for a while.
"Uhh, Lady Nephis... how do you feel? Do you have a place to stay?"
Kai felt too awkward after the sudden events and tried steering the conversation elsewhere.
"I do have the Immortal Flame Manor, although it's uninhabitable."
"You can move in with Sunny."
Cassie chimed in, seemingly with a smirk on her face. She also hoped they would go somewhere private as soon as possible — Neph had to know what was going on before she came in and blew up everything.
"Hey, Princess, did you know your boyfriend is an assistant researcher and an academic instructor in the academy?"
'What? Sunny is a teacher now?'
Neph was absolutely baffled. She couldn't imagine someone like Sunny as a teacher. Maybe she really did rub off on him.
"Lady Nephis, Gale and I disbanded."
"Princess, there's also a movie about us — with a romance subplot. Apparently, it's a love triangle between you, Caster, and Doofus."
Suddenly, the room was becoming warmer with each passing second. It seemed like Effie had struck a nerve.
'Where did Sunny go anyway…?'
While the others were dealing with Neph, Sunny — who had Shadow Stepped out — was full-on anxiety.
'Damnation…'
Lighting up his cigarette, Sunny thought to himself what compelled him to act that way.
He had known that these last six months were lonely in a sense, and he had grown tired as well. But he held on. His goal never wavered... he had to beat Neph no matter what.
Blowing out a puff, he contemplated on his new habit. And with Bloodweave making it so that no poison would affect him, cigs didn't have any health effects on Awakened... so far~.
That is, even for cigarettes to affect Awakened, they had to be much more potent than traditional ones.
Well, he always had Master Jet to blame for this addiction.
The overworked Master always seemed to be smoking, and one day had offered it to Sunny when they were discussing some things.
Snuffing the cigarette out and applying his perfume, he Shadow Stepped back to the room, hoping they wouldn't focus on him.
"But seriously, Kai? Are you really gonna disband?"
"Yes, Lady Nephis. Mainly because my standing as a Master would make him feel down — especially after I killed that dragon."
"Wait, a dragon?" Neph blinked.
Sunny decided that it was the perfect time to chime in.
"Yeah, he didn't tell you? We all killed Transcendents as Awakened in our 2nd Nightmare. I killed a couple of Saints as well… Funnily enough, I killed the same Saint twice."
Contemplating a little, he tilted his head.
"Although I had to behead myself too, which sucks. Let me tell you guys — never cut your head off. It sucks!!!"
"Hahah."
Kai paled a little.
"Sure, Sunny. We definitely won't behead ourselves… definitely won't."
Nephis had long left this world, hearing Sunny's outrageous stories. But she knew that he couldn't lie — and that made it worse.
Suddenly, she felt like her Nightmare was nothing compared to what they did.
After Sunny had filled her in with his 'entertaining' stories, Kai was as pale as a ghost.
"I think I'll need some time to digest everything."
"Don't worry, Princess. Doofus will take great care of you."
"Shut it, Beanpole."
"Anyway Neph, where are you gonna stay? If I remember correctly, you had a manor… or will you stay here at the academy?"
"My manor... it's in a rough state. I won't be able to live there, sunny."
"But Sunny — it's already been decided that she's gonna live with you."
"What?!"
At Kai's words, Sunny shuddered — paled, even.
'No way. Nuh uh. Damnation, this can't be happening…'
"What do you mean? You guys didn't even bother to ask me?"
"Yeah, Doofus. Now shut it, we gotta go."
Sunny felt dejected, drooping his shoulders as he quietly mumbled something.
"All right then... to Sunny's brilliant housing it is."